Belarusian police officers began to write down passport information of all visitors of the embassies of the US, the UK and Germany.
The website charter97.org received this information from Anatol Lyabedzka, the leader of the United Civil Party.
"It is used in the embassies of the US, the UK and Germany. Police officers from the embassy security personnel write down passport information of all people who enter the diplomatic mission building,” the politician says. “It's clear that it explained by additional security measures, but the data will later be sent to the KGB."
The actions by the Belarusian authorities violate the Vienna Conventions, one of the basic regulatory acts on diplomatic relations.
"It is not only a violation of diplomatic conventions, but also a violation of civil rights of Belarusians. It resembles the Soviet times: everyone visiting western embassies must be registered by the authorities. This person is included in the list of people suspected of contacts with foreign states." It is usual in totalitarianism. It's a pity that embassies reconcile with this lawlessness. These measures are against them too. I know that western diplomats often close eyes to human rights violations in relation to both citizens of the country and themselves to be able to work in Belarus," Marek Bucko, the deputy head of the Polish Freedom and Democracy Foundation and former first secretary of the embassy of Poland in Minsk, comments on the fact for charter97.org.
